Reflection of Cadmium and Zinc Atoms from Sodium Chloride Crystals

Abstract

A beam of zinc atoms reflected from a sodium chloride crystal is in part specularly reflected. The specular beam was investigated: (1) by measuring the velocity distribution of the atoms composing the specular beam; and (2) by examining the specular beam after reflection from a second crystal. A difference in angle of 22.5 between the two crystals does not greatly reduce the intensity of the specular beam. It is concluded that if velocity selection or a space-grating type of reflection of zinc is present it is not very pronounced.